The biggest obstacle for me is to make nice curves with a panel saw or a hack saw.
After sketching about 10 different lay outs, I settled for two curves.
I flattened the back of the board for the supports, and then I marked the finished size out on the board regarding the length / height of the supports. And cross cut the pieces.
Next I used a divider to make some pleasing curves and I clamped the two supports together and tried my best to saw near the line.
The convex curve was fairly easy to do, I just had to remove the waste every once in a while, and then come back at another angle.
The concave curve was a bit more difficult, but a hacksaw can follow a curve if it isn't too tight, so it ended up OK.
A rasp would be great for cleaning up such curves, but I had to resort to a couple of files and some 60 grit emery paper.
After that I marked out for where I wanted the hole for the dowel to go. I sandwiched the supports between some sacrificial scraps of wood and clamped it all to the table of the drill press.
I found a 16 mm drill and drilled the holes in one motion.
I ripped a piece of wood some 3/4" square, to make a dowel. I tried to find a piece of wood with straight grain to make it easy for me during planing.
A sticker board was set up and I started by making an octagonal. After that I simply tried to turn the dowel for every stroke, and it quickly turned reasonably round.
The sticker board was not helping anymore, so I changed tactics and held the dowel in my hand. That worked for a while, but not very well.
Finally I clamped my plane upside down in the vice and used both hands to maneuver the dowel over the blade. That trick gave me a lot of control, and the dowel ended up very round.
Finally I sanded it to an even rounder shape and checked that it could enter the holes in the supports.
Trying to saw a curve.
Rough shape of the supports.
Getting ready for drilling.
Stock for the dowel.
Almost complete.
All pieces of wood ready for assembly.
That looks great so far!
ReplyDeleteI like clamping the plane in the vise for small pieces. Dowels are hard to make even, but once you get it it is just fine. Too bad you don't know anyone with a decent dowel plate. :o)
Thanks
DeleteI think that though the Blum dowel plate is like the emperor of dowel plates, the surface might be a bit rough still considering that it is for a piece of furniture.